Every home chef should know how to make great pizza dough. Pizza dough isn’t just for pizza. You can make calzones, stromboli, garlic knots, garlic cheesy bread, quiche, pot pies, and many other great dishes. To start with, of course, you need a great pizza dough recipe.
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But a well known secret to making a great dough is the humble food processor. Using food processors for pizza dough is an excellent way to make the perfect pizza dough every time.
Food processors are a kitchen staple for anyone that really loves to cook. They can chop, mince, puree, grind, blend, shred, slice, and knead. A good food processor makes every home chef feel like a professional.
Food processors range in price from the high end around a few hundred dollars to the lower end at around $30-40 dollars. The difference is seen in the speeds, power, capacity, and functions.
Some food processors come with a dough blade, which is great, but a metal blade also works well. While all food processors can chop and dice, the home pizzaiolo needs one able to knead perfect pizza dough.
Things to consider when you are choosing a food processor:
When you are ready to purchase a food processor, you want to be practical and think of what exactly you need. Consider how you will use the food processor.
- Power – some food processors are very powerful and can grind cuts of meat and frozen foods. Some are more suited for chopping veggies and kneading dough.
- Size – counter space is important for kitchen real estate, especially for small kitchens.
- Price – consider the price range and how much you will use it.
- Functions – some food processors have more limited functions, and some can do just about everything in the kitchen. Consider how you will use it and how often.
- Calculations – even though you’re using a food processor, make sure you get all your ingredient measurements perfect with a handy pizza dough calculator.
Here are five food processors for pizza dough covering everything from expensive to affordable, from simple to sophisticated.
Top 5 Best Food Processors for Pizza Dough
Best Mid Range
This is a great mid-range appliance that can help home chefs up their game in the kitchen. This food processor runs around $50-60. It has two speeds and a pulse button. It has reversible shredding and slicing disk.
In addition, it includes a dough blade to blend the perfect pizza dough. And, if that isn’t enough, it’s compact enough for smaller kitchens and won’t clog your counter space.
Best for Large Batches
KitchenAid KFP1318WH 13-Cup Food Processor
Kitchen Aid makes excellent products. They have a reputation for excellence, and this machine is no different. It has a large 13 cup capacity and an adjustable Exact Slice disc. It also has a 3-in-1 Feed Tube to process ingredients in various shapes and sizes.
It comes in at around $150. It is compact enough to store when not in use not to steal counter space. It’s easy to clean and an overall great machine.
Best Food Processor Under $100
This is a solid budget-friendly compact machine with lots of power. It is small enough to fit nicely on the countertop and store easily. It’s has a capacity of 8 cups, perfect for a couple or small family.
It can knead a great dough without costing you a great amount of dough, leading us to pick this as one of the top food processors for pizza dough.
Best for Quiet and Power
Braun FP3020 12 Cup Food Processor
This Braun luxury food processor has seven blades, including a juicer. This is an excellent machine made in Europe with German engineering. It is a quiet yet powerful addition to a kitchen.
Be warned that it will take up a chunk of counter space, but you don’t really need any other appliances with this machine. It costs around $200 but is worth every penny.
Best Luxury Attachment
Vitamix 12-Cup Food Processor Attachment with SELF-DETECT
Vitamix is a well-known brand with excellent products. They are famous for powerful, sturdy machines. While this food processor is an attachment that works with Vitamix Ascent and Venturist motor bases, it deserves a spot on the list.
It boasts a large capacity of 12 cups and includes two food pushers, two reversible slice/shred discs, and one “S” multi-purpose blade. The price is close to $200, but it is worth it, especially if you plan to use it a lot and take advantage of everything it offers.
Helpful Tips About Kneading Dough
Not all dough needs to be kneaded. Only dough with yeast and gluten benefit from the process. The kneading process relaxes the gluten and makes it stretchier and stronger. If the dough isn’t kneaded, the proteins will be weak, and they won’t be able to hold the structure.
We’ve written extensively about how to make different types of pizza dough, including how to make pizza dough without yeast, and how to make gluten-free pizza dough. Try them out and let us know what you think!
Kneading by hand is labor-intensive and usually takes around twenty minutes or so. But kneading in a food processor or using food processors for pizza dough can be done in very few minutes with zero hand labor.
Knowing when the kneading is done, and the dough is ready is simple. Check for these three things to determine if your dough is ready.
- Does it break when a piece is pulled off? Under kneaded.
- Is the dough too tough and not stretchy? Over kneaded.
- Is the dough smooth and stretchy? Perfectly kneaded.
Pizza Dough Recipe for Top Food Processors
So now that you have chosen the perfect food processor for your needs. Here is a great pizza dough recipe to try out in your machine.
- 1 cup of tepid water
- 3 cups of bread flour or Italian “00” flour
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Combine half the water with sugar and yeast. Let it proof for about ten minutes. While proofing, add the dry ingredients to the machine and pulse a few times. Then, combine the proofed yeast and olive oil with the dry ingredients in the machine. Pulse a few times as it mixes.
Then, remove the dough, flip it over, and continue to pulse it. Repeat three times until the dough is needed. Remove the dough divide into two parts. Lightly cover the dough with olive oil and cover. Let it rise for around an hour. It should double in size. Now it is ready to stretch into a delicious pizza pie.
Pro Tips for Using a Food Processor to Make Pizza Dough
- Add wet ingredients when the food processor is running.
- If using the metal blade, use cold water in the dough (Still proof yeast with tepid water). The metal blade causes friction which causes heat, so counteract that by using chilled water.
- Don’t over knead.
Using a food processor to make pizza dough reduces your time and lets the machine do all the work. They are so versatile and make prep time easy. There are many creative ways to use your food processor. We use ours for everything.
If you’re making a lot of dough at once, consider getting a big dough proofing box for airtight storage.
Other Cool Things to Make in a Food Processor
- Chop nuts for baking
- Grind rolled oats to make gluten-free flour
- Make homemade mayonnaise
- Grind cookies for pie crusts and desserts
- Shred potatoes for latkes
- Blend almonds into almond butter
- Make breadcrumbs
- Grind meat for burgers
Food processors are great for making everything you need for pizza night. Use your food processor for pizza dough, blend tomatoes and garlic into a sauce, and even slice your salami and chop your favorite veggies to add to your pizza. Don’t forget the cheese. A food processor can grate mozzarella, dice blue cheese, and sliver a perfect piece of Parmesan.
What’s your favorite way to use your food processor?
